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The Washington wine industry is working hard to get the word out about Washington wines. I was recently at a restaurant in San Diego and enjoyed a delightful wine from home. Ryan Pennington, Public Relations Director for the Washington Wine Commission says they are taking the states product to the global masses.

PENNINGTON: On the marketing and sales this spring we have an event in London and a big wine fair there next week with a handful of wineries. We have a dozen or so wineries going to a tasting in Washington DC that week as well. And then we’re bringing a group of 60 international buyers to the state for a tour in early June.

Those buyers are from almost 20 different countries and will be educated on the industry and the product. Pennington says they are not letting up.

PENNINGTON: We’re still pushing hard to get the word out there about Washington wine. Even though sales are still increasing we have a ways to go to reach the level of broad awareness that we would like to see.

The London show is a joint marketing effort.

PENNINGTON: It’s a big trade show that takes place there and draws trade and media from all over northern Europe really. We actually have a joint booth with Oregon there so we kind of co-market and co-brand the Pacific Northwest for that audience and we find that it really benefits both regions to team upon that project.